


The Color of Your Hair

by MachineryField



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28702359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MachineryField/pseuds/MachineryField
Summary: It starts with a picture, found among belongings left behind by the Monado Expedition Team.
Relationships: Fiora & Shulk (Xenoblade Chronicles)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 23





	The Color of Your Hair

It starts with a picture, found among belongings left behind by the Monado Expedition Team. Something Shulk had never thought to look at, as long as the Monado was still in his possession, despite his links to them. He’d been young that there weren’t many memories -- or maybe dying as he had done something to the memories he did have? He’s not sure, but he supposes it's time to look into it.

The picture is of him as a newborn, held in the arms of who had to be his mother. His father was in the picture, too, leaning over them with a smile. He looks at them, and can see parts of both of them in his own face -- things to help him push away from the familiarity of Zanza’s visage.

His father has the same golden hair he does, but his mother has a brown color -- with just the hints of red. Shulk lets his hand rest on the side of her face and he wonders how he would look with it, if it would make much of a change.

He plays with a lock of his hair and wonders how hard it would be to dye it. He’s not exactly amazing with things like that, but maybe Fiora or Dunban would have an idea. It’s a bit silly, so maybe asking Dunban isn’t the best idea, but it could be worth it to seek Fiora out.

He stands up from among the items and makes a promise to himself and the lost souls that he’ll finish going through it all later, once this is off his mind. He exits the room with the picture held against his chest.

\--

“You want me to dye your hair.” Fiora plays with the bottom of her own hair. “I guess I’m not the only one looking for a change, then.”

“I thought you planned to keep your hair short.” He blinks a few times.

“That’s still a change from how it was for years, you know.” She giggles and holds out her hand for the image. “Now let me see what color you’re thinking of, silly!”

He hands the image to her, feeling a bit embarrassed to do so. He’s not sure anyone in Colony 9 has seen his biological parents, and he’s not sure how to go about telling her. Fiora looks at the image in silence and Shulk wants to crawl out of his skin.

“So…” She speaks, voice quiet. “Is this your Mum and Dad…?”

Shulk nods. “I thought… hair like my Mum’s would be nice to try.”

“I see.” Fiora and hums. “Would you like me to dye your eyebrows, too?”

“Uh…” Shulk scratches his cheek and shrugs, not really sure why this matters. “Sure…?”

Fiora nods and pats his shoulder. “Give me a little time, okay? I’ll see what I can put together. You should be able to have the hair color change before the end of the day!”

She winks, placing the photo down, and walking out the door. Shulk picks it back up and sits at a seat at the table with a sigh. He’s sure about this, but he hopes it doesn’t end up being something he regrets in the future.

He guesses he can always grow it out and cut off the brown parts later, but it’s still nerve wracking and exciting all at once. A way to look a little less like Zanza, and a little less like himself all at the same time…

\--

“And done!” Fiora steps away after she finishes drying Shulk’s hair. “I can’t wait for you to see it.”

She fetches a hand mirror and shows Shulk just how he looks, a gasp escaping his lips. It’s the same color as his mother’s, now, and feels as if he can say he looks like the woman in the photo. He reaches out and takes the mirror, tears biting at his eyes.

“I love it.” He says, wiping away his tears. “Thank you, Fiora.”

Fiora gives him a soft smile. “No problem, Shulk! I could tell it was important to you, so I did my best~”

Shulk nods and stands up, setting the mirror to the side and hugging her. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”

“No problem!” She laughs a bit and pats his back. “How about we go and show the others? I’m sure they’d love to see it.”

Shulk nods and pulls away, smiling and wiping at his tears. “Yeah, I think they’ll like it.”

“That’s the spirit!” She grins and takes him by the hand, tugging him towards the exit. “Come on, I’m sure at least Reyn and Dunban are around right now!”

Shulk nods and follows after her with a skip in his step.


End file.
